NameCensus.

UK surname

Wing

An occupational surname referring to a person who was employed as a maker or seller of wine.

In the 1881 census there were 1,889 people recorded with the Wing surname, ranking it #2,306 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,885, ranked #2,329, down from #2,306 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mildenhall, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, Breckland and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wing is 2,982 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.7%.

1881 census count

1,889

Ranked #2,306

Modern count

2,885

2016, ranked #2,329

Peak year

1998

2,982 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wing had 1,889 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,306 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,885 in 2016, ranked #2,329.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,739 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wing surname distribution map

The map shows where the Wing surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Wing surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wing over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,326 #2,166
1861 historical 1,484 #1,904
1881 historical 1,889 #2,306
1891 historical 2,189 #2,139
1901 historical 2,423 #2,244
1911 historical 2,739 #1,894
1997 modern 2,839 #2,279
1998 modern 2,982 #2,259
1999 modern 2,957 #2,291
2000 modern 2,962 #2,279
2001 modern 2,899 #2,272
2002 modern 2,941 #2,292
2003 modern 2,837 #2,315
2004 modern 2,860 #2,302
2005 modern 2,804 #2,317
2006 modern 2,781 #2,330
2007 modern 2,783 #2,354
2008 modern 2,790 #2,364
2009 modern 2,925 #2,312
2010 modern 2,944 #2,343
2011 modern 2,877 #2,362
2012 modern 2,839 #2,349
2013 modern 2,906 #2,338
2014 modern 2,936 #2,328
2015 modern 2,889 #2,338
2016 modern 2,885 #2,329

Geography

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Where Wings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mildenhall, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, Breckland, Fenland, Cherwell and Forest Heath. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Mildenhall Suffolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 010 North Kesteven
2 Breckland 017 Breckland
3 Fenland 009 Fenland
4 Cherwell 016 Cherwell
5 Forest Heath 001 Forest Heath

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wing

These lists show first names that appear often with the Wing surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wing

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wing, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Wing surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wing household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wing is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wing is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wing falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wing is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

This describes the area pattern most associated with Wing, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wing

The surname WING is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "wing" meaning a wing or projection of a building. It first appeared in records during the late 12th century.

The name is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived in a house or building with a projecting wing or side portion. It may have also referred to someone who lived near a prominent wing-shaped landmark or feature.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name WING can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, where it appeared as "de Wynge" and "de Winge". This suggests the name was initially a locative one, denoting someone from a place called Wing or Winge.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the WING surname, but it does mention several places with similar names, such as Wingrave in Buckinghamshire and Wing in Rutland.

One of the earliest known bearers of the WING surname was Richard de Winge, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1208. Another early example is William de Winge, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the WING surname. One of the most famous was Vincent Wing (1619-1668), an English astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion.

Another prominent figure was Tyrell Wing (1809-1886), an English cricketer who played for the Cambridge University and Hampshire cricket teams in the mid-19th century.

In the literary world, Mary Wing (1868-1944) was an American writer and poet who published several collections of poems and children's books in the early 20th century.

In the realm of politics, John Wing Jr. (1662-1732) was a prominent American merchant and politician who served as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in the early 18th century.

Lastly, Wing Ding (1901-1984), born George Wing, was a Native American artist and painter known for his vibrant depictions of traditional Navajo life and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wing families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wing surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 325 Wings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.77x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 325 1.77x
Yorkshire 206 1.13x
Lincolnshire 187 6.36x
Surrey 175 1.95x
Norfolk 128 4.53x
Cambridgeshire 118 10.14x
Oxfordshire 73 6.43x
Berkshire 72 5.22x
Hampshire 71 1.88x
Suffolk 66 2.95x
Hertfordshire 56 4.42x
Kent 55 0.88x
Warwickshire 49 1.06x
Leicestershire 37 1.82x
Sussex 36 1.16x
Essex 30 0.83x
Buckinghamshire 20 1.80x
Nottinghamshire 20 0.81x
Derbyshire 17 0.59x
Cheshire 16 0.39x
Cornwall 15 0.72x
Lancashire 15 0.07x
Bedfordshire 12 1.26x
Gloucestershire 10 0.28x
Glamorgan 9 0.28x
Northamptonshire 9 0.52x
Wiltshire 9 0.55x
Devon 8 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 6 1.64x
Northumberland 5 0.18x
Somerset 5 0.17x
Ayrshire 4 0.29x
Durham 4 0.07x
Rutland 4 2.96x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.26x
Monmouthshire 2 0.15x
Worcestershire 2 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.38x
Royal Navy 1 0.46x
Shropshire 1 0.06x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 54 Wings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.03x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 54 3.03x
St Pancras London 47 3.18x
Lambeth 33 2.06x
North Moreton 31 1519.61x
Holy Trinity 27 6.16x
Shoreditch London 25 3.14x
Ecclesfield 24 17.97x
Bethnal Green London 22 2.76x
Ecclesall Bierlow 22 5.94x
Camberwell 19 1.62x
Grantham 19 49.61x
Melbourn 17 149.91x
Southampton St Mary 16 6.75x
St George Hanover 16 6.67x
Epsom 15 34.37x
St Andrewthe Great 15 99.67x
Colsterworth 14 225.08x
Putney 14 16.71x
Stanton St John 14 405.80x
Tonbridge 14 6.19x
Aldenham 13 112.85x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 13 7.66x
Brandon 13 85.58x
Castle Bytham 13 316.30x
Deptford St Paul 13 2.69x
Reading St Giles 13 9.61x
Allington 12 574.16x
Bermondsey 12 2.19x
Bromley London 12 2.97x
Hornsey 12 5.16x
Hove 12 8.83x
Kensington London 12 1.17x
West Ham 12 1.50x
Battersea 11 1.63x
Chelsea London 11 1.99x
Cuddington In Northwich 11 428.02x
Foulden 11 378.01x
Great Marlow 11 36.68x
Isleworth 11 13.46x
Portsea 11 1.49x
Sheffield 11 1.90x
Bury St Edmunds St James 10 16.73x
Dry Drayton 10 423.73x
Edmonton 10 6.75x
Luton 10 6.07x
Navenby 10 165.84x
Oxford St Thomas 10 18.88x
Walsoken 10 58.86x
Barnes 9 23.77x
Boston 9 10.10x
Braceby 9 1232.88x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 9 21.42x
Eston 9 22.69x
Falmouth 9 12.22x
Gedney 9 75.00x
Hammersmith London 9 1.99x
Meldreth 9 199.12x
Melton Mowbray 9 24.56x
Millbrook 9 9.49x
Princethorpe 9 459.18x
Shenley 9 107.78x
Southampton St John 9 233.16x
Spittlegate 9 22.14x
St Andrewthe Less 9 6.77x
Tittleshall 9 278.64x
Walpole St Peter 9 125.70x
Bassingbourn 8 46.78x
Brightside Bierlow 8 2.24x
Brightwell 8 205.66x
Coventry St Michael 8 5.37x
Dover St Mary Virgin 8 13.18x
Long Eaton 8 21.06x
Lower Heyford 8 242.42x
Mildenhall 8 33.63x
Nether Hallam 8 3.25x
Southwark St Saviour 8 8.47x
St Marylebone London 8 0.82x
Sutton St Mary 8 28.79x
Walkern 8 150.09x
Warwick St Nicholas 8 23.54x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Wing surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 109
Elizabeth 70
Sarah 61
Ann 39
Emma 38
Ellen 28
Jane 28
Alice 25
Annie 25
Emily 22
Maria 22
Eliza 21
Edith 16
Harriet 15
Louisa 15
Caroline 14
Charlotte 14
Susan 12
Agnes 11
Amelia 11
Clara 11
Harriett 11
Lucy 11
Martha 11
Anne 10
Kate 10
Fanny 9
Frances 8
Hannah 8
Rebecca 8
Rose 8
Ada 7
Amy 7
Susannah 7
Ethel 6
Gertrude 6
Anna 5
Florence 5
Sophia 5
Catherine 4
Francis 4
Julia 4
Laura 4
Margaret 4
Maud 4
Bessie 3
Blanche 3
Hilda 3
Lydia 3
Matilda 3

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Wing surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 114
John 107
George 72
James 60
Charles 58
Henry 52
Thomas 51
Arthur 30
Robert 30
Harry 23
Alfred 21
Frederick 20
Edward 19
Walter 17
Richard 16
Joseph 15
Ernest 11
Samuel 11
Albert 9
Herbert 8
Frank 7
Matthew 7
Vincent 7
Daniel 5
David 5
Francis 5
Fredrick 5
Christopher 4
Isaac 4
Mark 4
Sidney 4
Arnold 3
Earnest 3
Jas. 3
Owen 3
Percy 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Dan 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Infant 2
Jonathan 2
Levi 2
Robt. 2
Stockbridge 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Wing surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wing surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,889 people were recorded with the Wing surname. That placed it at #2,306 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wing surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,885 in 2016. That gives Wing a modern rank of #2,329.

What does the Wing surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who was employed as a maker or seller of wine.

What does the Wing map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Wing bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.